A magical Disney show has opened in Cromer by CSODS Presents. Well done all involved!

A tale as old a time has arrived at Cromer Pier ready for this bank holiday!

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a 1994 Broadway musical adapted from the classic Disney Animated film from 1991 of the same name. With music by the legendary composer Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and book by Josiah Hall, the show continues to tell a beloved story which resonates with many individuals. The story follows The Beast (Aly Gatfield), a unkind prince who has been magically transformed into an ‘beastly’ creature due to his actions. Meanwhile, a young lady called Belle (Daisy Wilson) wishes for more from her provincial life. When Belle and The Beast’s paths cross, they learn that love comes from within. CSODS is a fantastic operatic dramatic society, developing consistently high quality productions. Previous musical productions include ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Shrek‘: all of which were phenomenal. Knowing the high quality of production from CSODS and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast being my personal favourite Disney musical, I was very eager to watch this production!

This production has been directed by Andrea Wilson and Martin Rodwell. Wilson and Rodwell have developed a well paced and well directed piece: having the classic Disney magic with lots of humour sprinkled in. Georgie Galloway’s choreography was upbeat, joyful and energetic throughout the show. Specifically in ‘Be Our Guest’ and ‘Gaston’, the choreography was high-energy which the cast performed very well. Moreover, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was brilliant to watch, having the elegant essence to the dance which is necessary. Musical director is Mark Raison-Sharp with Chorus Mistress Joanna Kemp, who have developed the strong musical style of the production. The music throughout sounded fantastic and the live band really made the show feel grand.

The set was magical, utilising a screen to transport us to different areas in this French town. I especially enjoyed the additional set brought for ‘Beauty and the Beast‘: which made the moment even more emotional. The costumes captured the characters from the Disney movie well, being colourful and vibrant. The lighting design was embedded thoughtfully into each scene, adding more ambience.

The ensemble were working incredibly hard throughout the performance, being able to add humour in their scenes alongside strong vocals and dancing. Their enthusiasm was felt by the audience and made the show all the greater. Briony Gabriel plays Babette, a French maid who has been magically turned into a feather duster who is in a relationship with Lumiere. Gabriel was enjoyable to watch, having a great accent and dynamics with Smith as Lumiere. Peter Howell plays Maurice, Belle’s unconventional inventor father who is imprisoned by The Beast. Maurice’s relationship with Belle is vital for the story to work and Howell has this attitude to his character. His duet with Belle ‘No Matter What’ was charming and helped the audience understand Belle’s sacrifice thanks to Howell’s relationship with her on stage. Laura Marvell-James plays Madame de la Grande Bouche, a fashionable lady who has been turned into a wardrobe. Marvell-James was flamboyant and elegant in her performance, having comedy moments with her costuming. Ryan Davenport plays LeFou, Gaston’s right-hand man in winning Belle’s heart. Davenport’s performance was uplifting and funny throughout, often having the audience laughing. His dynamics with Aves was brilliant and captures Disney magic, especially when leading the song ‘Gaston’.

Amanda Howell plays Mrs. Potts, a kind hearted lady who has been turned into a tea pot: often being the voice of reason in the group. Howell’s Mrs. Potts is a kind and caring portrayal and her vocals during ‘Beauty and the Beast’ sounded immaculate: making the moment all the more magical. Andrew Payne plays Cogsworth, a loyal servant to The Beast who has been turned into a clock. Payne was a great duo alongside Smith, adding humour to lots of his scenes. Dan Smith plays Lumiere, an eccentric French servant who has been transformed into a candelabra. Smith’s version of ‘Be Our Guest’ was high energy and he did very well to keep up with choreography, as well as having strong vocals. His accent was also very eccentric which was perfect for Lumiere and the pyrotechnics were a welcome addition.

Gaston, the overly confident hunter who wants to win Belle’s heart is played by the talented Lewis Aves. After watching Aves in Carousel, he was bound to bring this loveable villain to life. Aves definitely succeeds here, with his snark and over confidence. His vocals were strong throughout and his fight against Gatfield was choreographed and executed well. The Beast, the unkind prince who learns to accept himself and others is played by skillful Aly Gatfield. Gatfield was able to change his performance as The Beast begins to love, working effectively alongside Wilson. His vocals were incredible, specifically during ‘If I Can’t Love Her’. Belle, the kind hearted and compassionate lady who wants more from life is portrayed by wonderfully gifted Daisy Wilson: the stand out performance of the show. Wilson is able to capture her character perfectly, being a fantastic lead. Alongside this, her vocals were phenomenal, especially during ‘Home’ which is a defining moment for Belle. I also felt her dynamics with the cast were strong, showing real characterisation through her acting choices.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast runs throughout the half term break, making it the perfect show for families. Book your tickets now!

Tickets for this production were provided complimentary. Many thanks for the CSODS committee for organising and we wish you all the best with the rest of the run!

Max